About Bracknell Forest
By choosing to teach in Bracknell Forest you will start a career with one of the best educational authorities in the country. We pride ourselves on providing first-class learning prospects for our teachers with an outstanding professional development programme allowing exciting personal growth.
Bracknell Forest, although a small authority, can offer you a diverse range of teaching opportunities within an excellent environment for development and promotion.
There are many different types and sizes of schools within the Borough, each with their own characteristics, merits and strengths. Whilst the majority are community schools, the Borough also has strong partnerships with the Diocesan Bodies for the provision of places in our Church Schools. There are in total 38 schools, including six secondary schools, one special school and a pupil referral unit.
Many of our secondary schools have been credited with specialist status awards including technology, business and enterprise, art and science.
Children with special needs are well provided for with one special school equipped for moderate, severe and profound learning difficulties or physical disabilities and all schools contribute to our corporate inclusion strategy.
We are proud of our schools and the achievements of our children and by recruiting high quality teaching and support staff, we encourage our school children to achieve high standards and maximise their potential.
Many of our schools, and our Education department, have Investors in People Status, recognising the importance placed on staff development.
Bracknell Forest has established a number of learning networks where different primary and secondary schools work together to enhance both teachers and pupils learning. Sixteen schools are currently involved in looking at Maths, Writing and aspects of Creativity and Inclusion.
Representatives from several of our schools have taken part in international visits with the Teachers International Professional Development (TIPD) programme. The TIPD programme provides opportunities for teachers to experience best practice in international education by participating in short-term study visits to other countries.
Bracknell Forest is a centre of excellence for many areas and collaborates with other neighbouring authorities. Bracknell Forest offers a wide range of Inset courses, conferences and other Professional Development opportunities.
Many newly qualified teachers join Bracknell Forest schools as they wish to benefit from our excellent induction programme. We have separate programmes for primary and secondary teachers to attend. Training for secondary NQTs is rotated around our six secondary schools, giving ideal opportunities to share good practice.
Click here for a full list of our schools, further information and access to their websites.
Primary Schools
Bracknell Forest’s 30 primary schools cater for children from the ages of 4 to 11.
We have has a wide range of primary schools including church schools, schools with attached nurseries, small schools with 100 pupils and large schools with 550 pupils.
All of our primary schools are equipped with interactive whiteboard technology and broadband technology and the number of computers in each school already exceeds targets. Many have ICT suites and some have wireless laptops for pupil use.
Our primary school children accomplish many achievements across a wide range of activities including music, sport and drama as well as in their academic work. Several schools have attained Artsmark and Sportsmark awards.
Bracknell Forest is piloting a scheme to teach languages in primary schools.
All our schools participate in the Healthy Schools Programme. The Scheme covers all aspects of school life including physical activity, healthy eating and emotional health and well-being.
Many of our primary schools operate a peer mediation scheme and have active school councils.
Primary School Statistics
- 30 schools in total
- 7 Church of England schools
- 2 Roman Catholic schools
- Half of our primary schools have on-site nursery classes
Secondary Schools
Bracknell Forest has six Secondary co-educational comprehensive Schools; all providing education from 11 to 18 years.
Our secondary schools provide education for over 6,000 pupils; the largest has 1,369 pupils on roll, the smallest has 535.
Bracknell Forest has invested heavily in their secondary schools, helping to raise standards and make them an exciting place to learn.
An innovative programme known as CMCD (Consistency Management & Co-operative Discipline) which improves pupil behaviour and aids learning is operating in three schools with considerable success. This is planned to be extended to all secondary schools.
All Bracknell Forest secondary schools have achieved, or are in the process of applying for, Specialist Status. There are currently four schools who have achieved Specialist College Status one each in;
- Technology
- Science
- Business and Enterprise
- Combined Visual Arts and Business and Enterprise
Secondary School Statistics
- 5 community schools
- 1 Church of England Aided School
- 4 schools with Specialist Status
- 1 Pupil Referral Unit
- 6 schools with Sixth Form
Special School and Special Need Provision
Kennel Lane School is our special school catering for children aged between 2 and 19 years old.
Kennel Lane School views each pupil as an individual and takes into account his/her specific educational needs and individual learning style. The school promotes a calm and purposeful learning environment with opportunities for whole class, small group and individual work sessions within lessons.
The school works closely with our mainstream schools in innovative ways.
Special Needs Provision
- 1 special school
- 1 secondary school and 2 primary schools with resources for children with particular special needs
- A dedicated Language and Literacy Centre
- A Pupil Referral Unit (PRU)
- A Primary Pupil Support Unit for children with behavioural difficulties
Playing for Success
The Study Support Centre, based at the John Nike Leisuresport Complex, provides after school support to children and young people helping them improve their study skills, self esteem and motivation as well as literacy, numeracy and IT skills.
Education Centre
Continuing Professional Development is considered very important in Bracknell Forest and is supported by a programme of high quality in-service training courses and conferences.
Bracknell Forest LA has a dedicated Education Centre the purpose of which is to provide a stimulating and well-resourced base to support the training of teachers and school staff.
The centre is located at Easthampstead Park Conference Centre mansion house, which is located in a rural area between Bracknell and Wokingham, within easy reach of all of our schools.
The facilities on offer include: -
- Dedicated IT Training rooms
- Resource Rooms packed full of materials and ideas
- A number of key advisory staff are also based here - particularly Literacy and Numeracy Consultants
Young People in Sport
Bracknell Forest’s Young People in Sport scheme is organised by the Leisure Services and Education departments.
The Scheme provides sports coaching in schools for all ages in a number of different sports mostly during curriculum time, normally resulting in a local inter-school tournament or festival. Young people benefit from learning new skills, taking part in new activities, competing in district wide festivals and, above all, gaining great enjoyment from new and traditional activities.
Most recent Young People in Sport events include:-
- Badminton Festival
- Kwik Cricket Scheme
- Primary Athletics Championships
- Girls Kwik Cricket Festival
- Cross Country Relays
- Tag Rugby Scheme
- Swimming Gala
- TOP Play Infants Schools Sports Skill Scheme
Berkshire Maestros - The Young Musician’s Trust
Bracknell Forest maintains strong links with Berkshire Maestros - The Young Musician’s Trust offering high quality opportunities in school. The Trust offers instrumental and vocal lessons and activities such as orchestras, bands, ensembles, choirs, theory and general musicianship. In Primary Schools the Trust provides an introduction to music for infant school pupils with the Kindermusik classes.
To assist progress and the development of musical skills and understanding, pupils are encouraged to participate in as many appropriate activities as possible.
About Bracknell Forest
Bracknell in Berkshire is a modern town with a historic background. Nestled in countryside the town has a wide choice of schools, good housing and excellent leisure facilities.
It's a great place to live and work.
Once part of the Windsor Great Forest, Bracknell still nestles in woodlands; one fifth of the borough is forest, with another fifth protected for its high wildlife value including 10 sites of specific scientific interest.
Business Links
Local businesses do much to support the education of children in Bracknell Forest, sponsoring many interesting schools events such as 3M Young Enterprise Challenge, Syngenta Young Scientist Circus, TES Newsday Challenge and Junior Masterchef Challenge sponsored by Waitrose.
Cable & Wireless in partnership with Bracknell Forest have announced a two-year partnership to establish an after-school Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Academy for young people. The academy will use cutting-edge digital animation techniques to teach children in a creative and fun manner how to make their own short films.
Leisure Activities
The leisure and community facilities in Bracknell Forest are second to none and that they are made all the stronger by the complementary range of activities brought about by the genuine partnerships between the private, public sector and voluntary providers.
Top quality sporting facilities are provided at the Bracknell Leisure Centre, Sandhurst and Edgbarrow Sports Centres, Horseshoe Lake Watersports Centre and the Downshire Golf Course
Coral Reef Waterworld is a large leisure pool with water slides, rapids and Sauna World.
Winter sports provision includes an artificial ski slope, toboggan run and a skating rink at the John Nike Sports Complex.
South Hill Park Arts Centre offers a wide programme including plays, dance, opera, jazz, cabaret, rock and classical music. There is a cinema, recording studio, dance studio, art gallery, two bars and a restaurant. A variety of courses are run from the arts centre for adults and children.
The Point Leisure Complex includes a ten-screen cinema, 28-lane bowling alley, bars and restaurants.
The Look Out Discovery Park consists of 2600 acres of Crown Estate which attracts local walkers, mountain bikers and horse riders. There is also a hands-on science centre and observation tower.
How to Find Us
Bracknell Forest is located at the very centre of the Thames Valley, 25 miles west of London, close to Windsor, Ascot, Reading and Camberley. Minutes from the M3 and M4 motorway network, it provides immediate access via the M25 to the South East. There are good rail connections to London and the West.
By Car
From the M25 - join M4 at junction 10 or the M3 at junction 12 then follow instructions below.
From M4 - leave motorway at junction 10 and follow signs for the A329M to Bracknell.
From M3 - leave motorway at junction 3, Lightwater, and take A322 to Bracknell.
By Public Transport
Bracknell is on the main line between Reading and Waterloo, served by SouthWest Trains. There is a station at the heart of the town and others at Martin's Heron, Crowthorne and Sandhurst.
Good rail links exist to many major destinations via Reading station, avoiding the need to travel via London.
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